Euronews

Algeria’s Prime Minister has been detailing events during the hostage crisis at the gas plant in the desert town of In Amenas.

Abdelmalek Sellal said that 37 foreigners from eight countries and one Algerian lost their lives during the four-day siege and five remain unaccounted for.

Algerian special forces killed 29 of the militants who took control of the facility.

Three have been captured alive.

The prime minister praised the work of the Algerian military and their decision to storm the plant.

“The In Amenas facility stretches 4 hectares and the whole facility covers some 10 hectares. It provided an extremely difficult theatre for our forces. There were 32 terrorists involved, a third were Algerian the rest were made up of eight nationalities: Tunisian, Egyptian, Malian, Nigerien, Canadian and Mauritanian.”

Authorities say the hostage takers crossed into Algeria from northern Mali and were well-armed, well-trained and had planned the attack for two months.

The militants say they had taken hostages in retaliation for French military intervention in Mali.

Algeria’s Prime Minister has been giving details of events during the hostage crisis at the gas plant in the desert town of In Amenas.

Abdelmalek Sellal said that 37 foreigners from eight countries lost their lives during the four-day siege and five remain unaccounted for.

Algerian special forces killed 29 of the militants who took control of the facility.

Three have been captured alive.

The prime minister praised the work of the Algerian military and their decision to storm the plant.